The Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education launched the country's first dedicated teachers' rights protection officer system Saturday, bringing previously scattered support functions under a single channel. The system was one of Gyeonggi Superintendent Ahn Min-seok's core policy initiatives, pledged shortly after he took office amid growing cases of false child abuse reports and malicious complaints against teachers. “I made the decision to establish the dedicated teachers' rights protection officer system while thinking of the teachers who tragically passed away, unable to endure malicious complaints,” Ahn said at the inauguration ceremony. “I will delegate all substantive authority related to the superintendent's teachers' rights protection activities to you. At this very moment, I declare an all-out war against malicious complaints. Teachers, just teach. We will protect you.” The response far exceeded expectations. Open recruitment held from July 15-28 drew 1,823 applicants for 50 positions, a competition rate of more than 36 to 1. Citing the unexpectedly large pool of qualif